Eighteen states have imposed complete ban on plastic carry-bags, while five other states have imposed partial prohibition at religious and historical places, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has told the National Green Tribunal.
The apex pollution monitoring body has also informed the NGTthat action plan for Plastic Waste Management Rules has been submitted by 12states and Union Territories (UTs).
“18 states/UTs have imposed complete ban on plasticcarry bags/ products. Besides five states namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu& Kashmir, Kerala and West Bengal have imposed the partial ban on plasticcarry bags/products at religious/historical places,” CPCB told a benchheaded by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel.
It further said that seven states and UTs namely Assam,Bihar, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Puducherry and Telangana have not imposed theban on plastic carry-bags, while Odisha has not provided any detail in thisregard.
The NGT has directed the CPCB to submit further statusreport by September 30 on implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016and asked the concerned states and UTs to take further action.
The recovery of compensation for the delay in compliancetimeline will be considered on October 16, the next date of hearing, thetribunal said.
In its report, the CPCB has also said that as per provision’12’ of PWM Rules, 2016, as amended, 2018, “the prescribed authorities forimplementation of Rules”, 16 States/UTs have imposed fine, issued noticesand closure directions to the defaulters in their respective areas.
“These are namely Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Dadra& Nagar Haveli, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir,Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Puducherry,Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Tripura.
“Further, there are no violations in 10 States/UTs.Five states/UTs namely Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh,Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have not submitted the information inthis regard. Most of the Urban Local Bodies have failed to submit theinformation to state pollution control boards.”
It has also recommended certain measures, including that thestate pollution control boards (SPCBs) should also ensure that no unregisteredplastic manufacturing and recycling units is in operation and no unit isrunning in nonconforming/ residential areas.
“Besides, it is also to be ensured that plasticcarrybags /films greater than 50 microns thickness should not be manufactured,stocked, sold and used in cities/towns. SPCBs shall ensure to promotecompostable carry bags certified by CPCB. SPCBs and municipalities shouldconstitute squad to check illegal manufacturing, stocking, sale of greater than50microns thickness plastic carry bags and uncertified compostable carrybags/products in the market,” it said.
The CPCB also suggested authorities to ensure prohibition onlittering of plastic waste at historical, religious, public places and dumpingof plastic waste on drains, river, banks and sea beaches.The tribunal was hearing a plea by CPCB seekingimplementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and directions issued byit to implement the thickness norms for carry bags, constitution of squads forvigilance, preventing littering of plastic waste in public, submission ofannual reports and action plan for management, etc.